Professional Documents
Culture Documents
BASIC MECHANICS
Stats: Might, Speed, Intellect
Task: 1d20 vs. target number
DIFFICULTY/
NPC LEVEL
0
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
DESCRIPTION
Routine
Simple
Standard
Demanding
Difficult
Challenging
Intimidating
Formidable
Heroic
Immortal
Impossible
TARGET #
0
3
6
9
12
15
18
21
24
27
30
MODIFYING TASKS
GUIDANCE
Anyone can do this basically every time
Most people can do this most of the time
Typical task requiring focus, but most people can usually do this
Requires full attention; most people have 50/50 chance to succeed
Trained people have a 50/50 chance to succeed
Even trained people often fail
Normal people almost never succeed
Impossible without skills or great effort
A task worthy of tales told for years afterward
A task worthy of legends that last for lifetimes
A task that normal humans couldnt consider (but doesnt break laws of physics)
SPECIAL ROLLS
1
17
18
19
20
MINOR EFFECTS
Ignore armor
Strike specific body part
Knock back
Move past
Distract
MAJOR EFFECTS
Knock down
Disarm
Stun
Impair
GM INTRUSION
2 XP to affected PC, who passes 1 XP to another PC
1 XP: Refuse the intrusion
Types: Bad luck, unknown/impending complications, opponent luck/skill, fumbles, partial success, increased difficulty
Examples: Force roll on automatic success, foe gains 5 health, NPC gains free attack, ally decides to flee/steal from them, equipment lost/damaged/dropped/malfunctions, lasting damage, ongoing damage
SPENDING XP
1 XP: Reroll any roll
COMBAT
Initiative: Speed task. On success, act before NPCs. On failure, act after NPCs.
ATTACK
DAMAGE
DISTANCE / MOVEMENT
DEFEND
Speed task (usually)
SURPRISE
RECOVERY ROLLS
AREA ATTACKS
PC Attacker: Roll against all targets in area.
PC Defenders: All roll against attack.
(see PC vs. PC in Combat Options)
Recovery Roll
First recovery roll
Second recovery roll
Third recovery roll
Fourth recovery roll
HEALING
LONG-TERM MOVEMENT
Walking (Road): 3 miles per hour, 20 miles per day
Walking (Overland): 2 miles per hour, 12 miles per day
MOVEMENT MODIFIERS
0 stat pools = 0
1 stat pool = 0
Debilitated
2 stat pools = 0
Dead
3 stat pools = 0
No penalties
Effort costs 1 extra point per level. Rolls of 17+
only deal +1 damage. Ignore major/minor effects.
Cannot take any action other than to move/crawl
immediate distance. (If Speed is 0, cannot move.)
Dead
SPECIAL DAMAGE
Dazed: +1 difficulty on all tasks
Inability: +1 difficulty step in tasks of that type
Paralysis: Unable to move, cannot take physical actions
Stunned: Lose turn, defend at +1 difficulty
Weakness: Increase spend on matching tasks pool by Weakness
COMBAT ACTIONS
ATTACKING OBJECTS
CIRCUMSTANCES
HIGH AND LOW: If both melee and ranged attack
succeed on single opponent in same round, opponents
suffers +1 difficulty for next task.
THREE-ON-ONE: If three characters attack a single foe in
melee, they all gain +1 bonus on attack.
Damage
-1
-2
-3
-3
-3
-4
-7
-8
Effect
Hinder/Distract
Strike specific body part
Knock back
Move past
Strike held object
Knock down
Disarm
Stun
Notes
-1 difficulty for 1 round
Cancels guarding action
Use rules for attacking object
Drop one item held or carried
Lose turn, defend at +1 difficulty
WEARING ARMOR
Armor
Light
Medium
Heavy
Might cost
per hour
1
2
3
Speed Pool
reduction
2
3
5
PC vs. PC
Both PCs roll, highest roll succeeds.
Advantages/Disadvantages: +/- 3 on die roll
BOSS PACKAGE
+10 health
+1 Armor
+3 points of damage
+1 level for attack/defense
MISCELLANEOUS ACTIONS
CHASE: Speed task
Long Chase: Must succeed on number of Speed
tasks equal to NPCs level. If PC has more failures
than successes, they fail the chase.
HELPING: Take an action to help another character.
If assisted character has less training, they gain the
benefit of the helpers training/specialization. If
assisted character has equal or more training, they
gain +1 bonus.
Complementary Action: Two characters
attempting different but complementary actions
both gain +2 bonus.
JUMPING
MISCELLANEOUS RULES
CRAFTING
Craft
Something extremely simple,
like tying a rope or finding an
appropriately sized rock
Torch
Spear, simple shelter, furniture
Bow, door
Sword, chainmail vest
Common numenera item
(glowglobe, shaper key)
Numenera item
Numenera item
Numenera item
Numenera item
Numenera item
CLIMB (MIGHT)
2
3
4
5
6
8
10
SURFACE
Surface with lots of handholds
Stone wall or similar surface (few handholds)
Crumbling or slippery surface
Smooth stone wall or similar surface
Metal wall or similar surface
Smooth, horizontal surface / climber upside down
Glass wall or similar surface
RIDING (SPEED)
0
1
3
4
5
MANEUVER
Riding
Staying on in battle / difficult situation
Staying on when you take damage
Mounting a moving steed
Coaxing a mount to move / jump twice as fast / far
REMEMBER/
IDENTIFY/
UNDERSTAND
(INTELLECT)
0
1
3
5
7
10
OPTIONAL RULES
ACTING IN MELEE: Doing anything other than
fighting provokes immediate extra attack unless
characters only action is to move.
MODIFYING SPECIAL ABILITES
Increase Range: 1 step per point spent.
Increase Duration: 1 step (1 minute to 10
minutes to 1 hour) per point spent; maximum
one increase.
Impossible task (modifying to accomplish an effect
that has nothing to do with its description or intent)
KNOWLEDGE
Common knowledge
Simple knowledge
Something a scholar probably knows
Something even a scholar might not know
Knowledge very few people possess
Completely lost knowledge
HOUSE RULES
GRAPPLING: Might task to start or end grapple.
Physical actions are opportunity actions requiring
Might task to attempt. +1 difficulty to defend in
grapple.
NPC ALLIES
Gain effort pool equal to level x 3 per day.
Gain 1 recovery roll per day of 1d6 + level.
+1 bonus to die roll per difference in level.
NUMENERA
NUMENERA
CYPHER DANGER
0160
6170
IDENTIFYING NUMENERA
Cypher: Intellect task, difficulty 1 or 2,
o 15 minutes to 1 hour
Artifact: Intellect task, difficulty = artifact level
o 15 minutes to 3 hours
7180
96100
8190
9195
101110
111120
121130
131140
141199
200
201+
Nothing happens.
Theres an odd smell, tingling sensation, or aura
around the cyphers. This is merely ominous and not
inherently dangerous. If this result occurs on two
consecutive days, use the 7180 result instead.
One of the cyphers is destroyed/no longer
functions/loses all potency.
The character feels a bit off. Subtract 1 from all die
rolls for 28 hours. If this result occurs on two
consecutive days, use the 96100 result instead.
Two of the cyphers involved are destroyed/no longer
function/lose all potency.
The character falls ill as a result of minor chemical
or radiation interaction of the cyphers. The difficulty
of all actions is increased by one step for 1d6 days. If
this result occurs on two consecutive days, use the
111120 result instead.
All of the cyphers involved are destroyed/no longer
function/lose all potency.
The character is terribly ill as a result of minor
chemical or radiation interaction of the cyphers. The
difficulty of all actions is increased by two steps for
2d6 days. If this result occurs on two consecutive
days, use the 141199 result instead.
Two or more of the cyphers in proximity react
chemically, either through small leakage, emissions,
or direct contact. The cyphers are destroyed and a
mass of acid is produced, burning the character for
6 points of damage.
The energy radiating from two or more of the
cyphers reacts poorly. The cyphers are destroyed
and an explosion occurs, burning the character for
10 points of damage and all within immediate range
for 3 points of damage.
The character is permanently harmed. Reduce all
stat Pool maximums by 5. All cyphers are destroyed.
A sentience arises in the cyphers. All cyphers are
consumed, forming a device with powers related to
the cyphers and a personality that is likely hostile to
the PC. (The GM determines the powers and
personality.)
A tiny singularity is created that lasts for only a
nanosecond, consuming the character and all
equipment, including the cyphers.
ARTIFACT QUIRKS
01-06
07-10
11-14
15-17
18-20
21-23
24-27
28-32
33-36
37-39
40-42
43-46
47-48
49-50
51-54
55-56
57-60
61-62
63-66
67-68
69-70
71-74
75-77
78-81
82-85
86-89
90-94
95-99
00
ADVANTAGE
Target
Target
Target
Target
Target
Character with higher ground
Target
Target
Target x 2
Target x 4
Target x 4
Target
Target
Target x 4
Target
Target
Attacker
Target
Attacker
Target
Attacker
Target
Target x 2
Target
Target
NOTES
Attack must be able to penetrate or avoid cover
Increase weapon range by one category; -2 damage on heavy weapons
Reduce weapon range by one category
Increase weapon range by one category
Dense foliage, crawling through rubble
Bright full moon; torch, glowglobe, desk lamp
Starry night; candle or illuminated control panel
Starry night; candle or illuminated control panel
Requires supporting check or automatic miss without 1 XP or GM intrusion
Requires supporting check or automatic miss without 1 XP or GM intrusion
Requires supporting check or automatic miss without 1 XP or GM intrusion
Attackers moving under their own power take no penalties
Target doing nothing except moving very fast
Ranged attacks only
Ranged attacks only
Up to your chest; aquatic creatures ignore this modifier
Aquatic creatures ignore this modifier
Aquatic creatures ignore this modifier
Reduce weapon range by one category; no thrown or projectile weapons
DAMAGE
2 points per round (ambient damage)
6 points per round (ambient damage)
1 point per round (ambient damage)
3 points per round (ambient damage)
6 points
3 points
6 points
1 point per round (ambient damage)
6 points per round (ambient damage)
1 point per 10 feet (ambient damage)
3 points per round (ambient damage)
6 points per round (ambient damage)
NOTES
Immersed in acid
Below freezing temperatures
Liquid nitrogen
Large, fast object strikes character
Object or creature falls on character
Roof collapse; cave-in
Often involves losing next action
Often involves losing next action
Torch
Engulfed in flames; lava